Acan behavior

[coryscritch]

Anyone know why acans stretch like this. They look healthy and from what I know they like low light 

[MrObscura]

They want more light. 

[coryscritch]

10 minutes ago, MrObscura said:

They want more light. 

thats what I was thinking. my light isn't the best (current orbit). I just have no other spot to put the acans. ill just go get a prime and call it a day 

[MrObscura]

The prime is a good light, I have one over my nuvo 10. It's a mixed reef with sps, Lps and softies, including acans. They are mid level getting a good amount of light and flow and are happy. At peak they're probably getting at least 100-150 par. 

 

It is possibly that it's not the lighting though usually stretching is. But do you feed them? They could also be hungry. If not I'd try feeding the first and see what happens. 

 

If they still stretch then up lighting slowly. 

[DreC80]

Definitely try feeding small pieces of shrimp.  As others have said, probably needs more light.  Start out slowly with the prime...maybe 25% and go from there.

[Clown79]

Not necessarily light as most acans can fry under high light.

They should be fine under a current orbit.

 

I've had acans under par38's, an aquamaxx nemolight, prime, and micmol. 

 

It can be flow also causing them to do that. Depending how the flow hits them. While playing with my flow, when it was too high in the area of the acans, they did the same thing.

 

They do enjoy being fed as well.

[coryscritch]

13 hours ago, MrObscura said:

The prime is a good light, I have one over my nuvo 10. It's a mixed reef with sps, Lps and softies, including acans. They are mid level getting a good amount of light and flow and are happy. At peak they're probably getting at least 100-150 par. 

 

It is possibly that it's not the lighting though usually stretching is. But do you feed them? They could also be hungry. If not I'd try feeding the first and see what happens. 

 

If they still stretch then up lighting slowly. 

I do feed them 2-3 times a week 

[MrObscura]

Then it's probably light.  What % do you run your current lights at? 

[specore]

I agree with Clown.  Generally speaking coral growth and shape is most impacted by flow.  Although I would suspect it may be low flow, as I would think high flow would cause them to be less exposed rather than more.  Either way they look otherwise pretty good, so I would definitely not go blasting them with light if they are growing and otherwise seem healthy/happy. 

[coryscritch]

8 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Not necessarily light as most acans can fry under high light.

They should be fine under a current orbit.

 

I've had acans under par38's, an aquamaxx nemolight, prime, and micmol. 

 

It can be flow also causing them to do that. Depending how the flow hits them. While playing with my flow, when it was too high in the area of the acans, they did the same thing.

 

They do enjoy being fed as well.

I guess it could be too much flow for these guys.  My tank has lots of flow and I don’t think I want to mess with it. Both acans have grown with the amount of flow they get. So I guess they’re kind of happy 

9 minutes ago, MrObscura said:

Then it's probably light.  What % do you run your current lights at? 

100 % blue 50% white 

[Cannedfish]

I could just have weird acans or I may just have no idea what I'm talking about, but when mine are like that I have always associated it with the polyps being happy (when they are stretched out and fluffy (technical terms)), and I have had them under various conditions. They would do that when they were in the front corner of my tank getting absolutely blasted with light and flow (>150 PAR and a ton of direct flow) and they still do that no that I have moved them to the back of the tank where they get less light and flow (<150 PAR and no direct flow). I just kinda assumed they did that to allow more of the polyps to expand for more access light and food (ie they are growing). But who knows I'm certainly not an expert.

[Clown79]

The acans look good and healthy.

 

I would not mess with things.

 

[coryscritch]

1 minute ago, Clown79 said:

The acans look good and healthy.

 

I would not mess with things.

 

Maybe just a new light. The current has been good but I want some better color on the tank 

[MrObscura]

Mine get lots of flow and don't mind since it's random.

 

To me acans seem happy when open and plump.  Mine put out tenticles to feed. 

[Lognor]

IME/IMO, another sign that it's fine is that you have new heads growing.  If it wasn't getting the right light or food, it wouldn't be growing, it would be smaller, closed, and not growing.

[Reefkid88]

You could try giving them a little more flow. Depending on the color morph,they will welcome intense direct light and some like indirect light. Mine were blasted with flow and after about 2 days,they were the most open and fluffed up I have ever seen Acan's. My Rainbows all wanted low light (I had them in about 150 par and they turned red,put them in 75-80 par and they turned ridiculous colors again). 

 

 I loved acan's as you can tell,they were getting about 100ish par with just 2 t5 bulbs ans pounded with flow,look how happy they were.